Friday Fotos: 7/31

Once again it is Friday and time for Friday Fotos. I hope you enjoy them...



If only...

courtesy of... pyzam.com




A great deterrent to tailgaters...

courtesy of... funnyjunk.com





courtesy of... icanhascheezburger.com

Building Steps in Your Berm

I know that I originally said that I was going to build the stairs last, but I made an executive decision and decided to do it today. There are many reasons for this decision, but the main reason is the need for one thing: dirt. You see, the current height of the first wall still allows me to barely be able to use the wheel barrel to dump dirt. If I were to complete the final two rows, than I would have to shovel any remaining dirt over the wall. So, since I am very lazy, I have decided to try and find out how much dirt I will need to add. In this vein, I decided to build the stairs and also dig the trench for the second tier. All dirt will be added to the first tier and then leveled to the height of the finished wall. Once there is no additional need to add dirt, I will install the final two rows.


What you will need...

Shovel (or a really big dog)
Wheel barrel
Torpedo Level
Tamper
Pea Gravel
Tape measure
Stones to be used for stairs






Specifications

* Assembled Depth (In Inches) : 12.0 In.
* Assembled Height (In Inches) : 6.0 In.
* Assembled Weight (In LBS) : 63.0
* Assembled Width (In Inches) : 16.0 In.

Firstly, in the photo above, you can see the stones I will be using for the stairs. If you are going to be using a lighter stone, than you will need to be sure to bury a portion of your stone. Since the stone I am using is rather heavy, I will not need to do so. I should also mention that in order to install the upper stairs, I had to carry the stones up the stairs I had just installed. I weigh 216 lbs and the stones are an additional 63 lbs; the stairs did not budge or wobble. Once installed, they are very stable.
The following are the instructions for building stairs using heavy stones.

What to do...

• Starting at the bottom of the berm, select the spot where you want your first stair to be


• Take the measurements of your stone




• Note: all measurements that follow are to the specifications of the stones I am using...your measurements may vary





• Outline a hole that is slightly larger than your stone. In my case, the hole will be 14-inches in depth (from front-to-back) and 18-inches wide (this will allow for the all-important "wiggle room"). The hole will need to be 4-inches deep plus 1/2 the height of your stone. In my case, that is 4-inches plus 1/2 of the height of the 6-inch stones I am using, or a depth of 7-inches


• Pour in the pea gravel to a depth of 4-inches


• Compact the gravel


• Level the gravel as best you can


• Place stone on gravel


• Level stone from front-to-back and side-to-side


• Back-fill with gravel


• On the area above your first stair, outline a hole slightly larger than your stone and begin digging your next hole


• Dig-out the hole until the bottom of the hole is level with the top of your first stair


• Now, once the bottom is level with the top of the first stair, dig down an additional 4-inches


• Fill with gravel and compact


• Place your next stone on the gravel, making sure it is level


• Back-fill with gravel


• Repeat until done

Once again, if you have any questions on any portion of this project, please feel free to leave a comment and I will do my best to help you.

First in series... Planning Your Tiered Retaining Wall

Next in series... Finishing Your Retaining Wall

Thanks to My Advertiser: 7/20-7/26

As of November 2009, I will no longer be with Entrecard, so in order to free-up valuable file space, I have removed the images and contents from this page. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. However, I invite you to stop by my main page and see if there is anything of interest to you...

Everyday Living

Friday Fotos: 7/24

Hope you all have a terrific weekend...



This would be my luck...

courtesy of... funnyjunk.com




This is SO our weather forecast...

courtesy of... cringel.com




Entrecard at its finest...

courtesy of... icanhascheezburger.com

The Sprinkler Conspiracy

Although I haven't had a visit from the Men in Black, I have felt that something strange has been going on. You see, on Saturday I went to turn-on the sprinklers and when it hit the first station in the backyard, I noticed that the area by main line was gushing water. Okay, I changed the connection and everything was fine, right? Wrong! When the next station turned-on, I noticed the exact same thing was happening. Alright...I fixed that one as well. Today, When the last backyard station tuned-on, I noticed yet another break. So, what is the culprit behind these mysterious goings-on...a saddle tee. (A saddle tee, as shown in the picture below, is connected to the poly pipe and the screws or nuts are tightened down. You then take a reaming tool or just a drill and make a hole in the pipe. You can then add a riser and screw your sprinkler head onto that).



It was exactly ten years ago when I installed our backyard sprinkler system. Although in years past I had worked almost exclusively with PVC, I decided to go an easier route and use poly pipe. The connections were faster and it took next to no-time to lay the pipe. By using the saddle tees, I was able to be much more flexible in the positioning of my sprinkler heads and, I didn't have to cut-and-splice a compression tee in the line, which saved a great deal of time and aggravation.

Where is this all going? Well, I just wanted to advise any others out there that may have saddle tees that are getting-up there in age, to keep an eye out for this possible problem.

Now, I need to get cleaned-up just in case Agent Sculley decides to drop by.

Building Your Retaining Wall: Finishing the First Row

What you will need...


Hammer
Torpedo level
Pea gravel
Perforated pipe with end caps and protective sleeve
Cold chisel (to break stones in half)
Weed barrier
Construction adhesive (optional, but highly recommended)

You should also make sure that you have enough room for the lip of your second row of stones to fit between your first row of stones and the drainage pipe. (see picture below)



Again, there was about a 10-foot section of the trench that I needed to slightly enlarge. Not a big deal, but it was something unexpected.

What to do...



• Take your perforated drain pipe and install end caps


• Place the sleeve over the pipe



photo of drainage pipe with and without sleeve


• Estimate the length of your weed barrier; add the height of your wall and cut


• Lay weed barrier in trench behind the first row


• Place drainage pipe over weed barrier







• Add gravel behind the pipe and stones







• Take a broom and sweep-off the tops of the stones


• Place the first stone in the next row...the middle of the stone will lay between the edges of the bottom two stones (staggering the edges). Since you placed a ½ stone as your first stone on the lower course, you will end-up with a joint as shown below (photo illustrates the staggering of the joint, not the placement of the first stone on the second row)





• Because you took the time to make sure that the bottom stones were level and plumb, you do not have to worry about doing this for the subsequent rows, but I check anyway




• Continue with row


• If you are going to be using an adhesive, I would dry-fit the row first and then come back and apply the adhesive


• Take the weed barrier and move back over the stones


• Back-fill the area behind the new row with soil, but remain about 6-inches from the rear of the stones (This will create a nice trench for you to pour the gravel)


• Move weed barrier back over onto the newly back-filled area


• Pour gravel into the trench behind the stones and make sure all cracks are filled with the gravel


• Sweep tops of stones


• Begin the third row with the ½ stone and repeat the process as needed. Be sure to remember that every other row begins with a ½ stone




• Note: if you are going to be installing another tier, you might want to wait and finish the first tier last. The reason being: it will allow you easier access to the upper tiers. In other words, it will allow you to step easily from the ground to the first tier, thus letting you transport gravel and stone to the upper tiers without a lot of climbing

First in series... Planning Your Tiered Retaining Wall

Next in series... Building Steps in Your Berm

Thank You to My Advertisers: 7/13-7/19

As of November 2009, I will no longer be with Entrecard, so in order to free-up valuable file space, I have removed the images and contents from this page. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. However, I invite you to stop by my main page and see if there is anything of interest to you...

Everyday Living

Friday Fotos: 7/17

Once again, it's Friday and the end of a long, hot week. I hope that all of you had an enjoyable (yeah, right) week and are ready for a relaxing weekend. So, to help ease you through the rest of the day, I have found a few photos that you might enjoy...



When magic just ain't enough...

Had to include this, since my kids and I have been
watching this the past few nights
courtesy of... demotivatorsite.com




Driver License Question #7:
Who should have the right-of-way...

(notice the windscreen and steering wheel at bottom of photo)
courtesy of... lolhome.com




Of course, I'm innocent...

courtesy of... icanhascheezburger.com

Building the Retaining Wall Foundation

As you can see from the photo, I have begun laying the first course of retaining wall stones. This may seem like a straight-forward process, but it is, by far, one of the most important steps in building your wall. This is going to be one of the most time-consuming steps of the entire process, but don't get discouraged because the other rows will go up very quickly. You see, if the foundation is not prepared properly, your wall will eventually begin to sag and lose strength. So, by taking more time on this step, you can be assured of a wall that will last for many years to come.


What you will need...

Pea gravel
Tape measure
Wheel barrel
Shovel
Level
Hammer
Compacter (rented or hand tamper)
Cold chisel (to break stones in half)

What to do...


• Take pea gravel and add about 5 inches into the bottom of the trench


• Compact the gravel by using a compacter (which can be rented) or by using a heavy tamper


• Spray water on the compacted gravel (this will help the gravel settle)


• Compact again and measure


• Continue this process until you have 4 inches of compacted gravel


• Using a level, make sure that the gravel is level (This will speed-up the stone placement)


• Using a cold chisel, take one stone and break it in half ( Take the hammer and chisel and score the stone all the way around. At the back of the stone chisel harder until the stone breaks in half). You will than begin each alternating level with a half stone




• Why do this? You do not want the stones stacked with their edges lined-up, because this reduces the strength of the wall. You want the stones to be inter-connected, so we stagger the edges. This inter-connectedness is what gives the wall its strength. As the dirt pushes against the stones, it is trying to find a weak point. If the stones were installed with their edges lined-up, the dirt could push right through the gap and your wall would tumble down. When the stones are placed (as shown in this picture here) with their edges staggered, the dirt cannot find a place to push through, so your wall stays where it belongs




• Take a hammer and chisel and break-off the lip on your bottom stones


• Place the stone in the desired location and, using your torpedo level, make sure it is level from front to back and side to side


• Place second stone next to the first and make sure it is level from front to back and side to side; also make sure it is level to the stone next to it


• Repeat until all stones are placed

Just a quick note: unless you are very lucky, you probably run into problems. For example, I did not take into account the elevation change in our backyard. When the yard was originally landscaped, they graded the yard so the highest elevation is at the house and it then gradually gets lower as it nears the back fence. Now, if I was beginning the construction of my wall at the high-point, I would not have encountered a problem; however, as luck would have it, I started at the low point. So, in order to maintain my 4-inches of gravel, I soon discovered that I would have to dig a few inches deeper. Yes, it took a little longer, but I was able to maintain the integrity of the foundation. Problem solved.

You should also make sure that you have enough room for the lip of your second row of stones to fit between your first row of stones and the drainage pipe. (see picture below)



Again, there was about a 10-foot section of the trench that I needed to slightly enlarge. Not a big deal, but it was something unexpected.

I guess what I am trying to convey is: on a project this large, you WILL run into some problems. Don't get discouraged, but take a break and try and figure-out a solution. If you are not happy with how the stones are laying, don't be afraid to take them out and re-set them (Yes, I did this too). It may take a little longer now, but just keep in mind, you will be looking at this wall for many years. Isn't it better to take a little extra time now and get it just the way you want.

As I stated in an earlier article, this is being written as I build the wall, so it may be a few days before the next installment. The photo at the top of the page, shows my progress for today. Today went slower, because I had to figure out how to do the curve, but the straight runs will go much quicker. I hope that this has helped you get started with your new retaining wall. If you have any questions, please let me know and I will do my best to help you.


First in series... Planning Your Tiered Retaining Wall

Next in series... Building Your Retaining Wall: Finishing the First Row

My Easy Attic Fan Installation

Well, this past weekend, I completed the installation of our new attic fan and the fan's shutter. It is now completely installed and working like a charm. My original intent was to write a step-by-step instruction guide to installing an attic fan, but my stab at it became such a comedy of errors, that I think I'll forgo that article and just give you a few suggestions instead. Besides, the fan and shutter come with great instructions, so if you follow those, you should be okay.

Firstly, if you decide to tackle a project like this, be sure to have the RIGHT tools for the job. Unfortunately, I didn't and it made the job twice as hard and took much longer than necessary. Be sure you build yourself some sort of platform on which to work. I took some scrap pieces of board and attached them between the floor joists; this allowed me a place to sit and kneel (standing was out of the question). Also, it might be a good idea to take a yoga class to get used to contorting your body in unnatural positions. Next, be sure you have enough light up in the attic. I only had one light up there, so I figured I was fine...wrong! You need to be able to see clearly to make sure your measurements are accurate and you are cutting along the correct line. (Do you see a pattern developing)? If you are using safety glasses while sawing, be sure you can actually see out of them. Mine fogged-up and I was not able to see where to cut (I eventually threw them out the hole). Make sure you have a terrific mate (my wife stayed in the garage the entire time...she is the best), to get you through those times of desperation and despair. Finally, have plenty of cold water awaiting you when you come down (the fires of Hell just might reside in your attic, in the summer anyway!).

As I may have stated before, I am no carpenter and this debacle has just reinforced that claim. I figured that if everything went smoothly (yeah, right), it would only take me a one or two hours to install the thing and then I could relax in the glow of adoration from my loving wife. Instead, it took my 1 ½ hours just to cut the stupid hole. When I came down, it looked as if I had just climbed out of a swimming pool; my clothes and hair were soaked. Back up again, to tackle the framing portion; thankful that I at least have a cool breeze from the perfectly cut hole. Luckily, I had at least had the foresight to pre-cut all the studs, so that part went a little quicker. I just didn't have the foresight to re-check my measurements, because I was off by a maddening ½ inch. ( I swear, Murphy is haunting our attic). After 5 hours of this mess and countless trips across the attic and down the ladder, I decided to leave the shutter installation for the next day.

Since the person who designed our home decided to have a second roof jutting-out just below the place I had to work, I had to crawl on that and do the entire installation laying on my side on a narrow roof. Anyway, to skip my 2 hour stint on this tiny roof, all I have to say is: I'm glad they invented trim to cover my mistakes.

The actual connection of the wires went rather smoothly, but I do have to admit that fishing the wires was a little tricky at times. Lastly, apart from having to track down and repair a short, which happened to be in the fan's thermostat, the fan is working wonderfully. I can already feel a vast difference in how the house feels. Was it worth all the trouble? Yup! Would I do it again? Nope!

In case your wondering, here is a photo of the fan I installed...




Broan-NuTone 353 1140 Cfm Gable-Mounted Powered Attic Ventilators


Now, back to the berm...

Thank You to My Advertisers: 7/6-7/12

As of November 2009, I will no longer be with Entrecard, so in order to free-up valuable file space, I have removed the images and contents from this page. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. However, I invite you to stop by my main page and see if there is anything of interest to you...

Everyday Living

Friday Fotos: 7/10

Well, it is Friday once again, so I will step aside from my normal drivel and give you something interesting to look at. I hope you enjoy your weekend...


I can see this...

courtesy of... inbetweenmeals.com



Dude...

courtesy of... icanhascheezburger




So, that's what happened...

courtesy of... picoodle.com

The Arrival of the Stones

Today, I had planned on finally installing the attic fan, but things did not quite work out that way. You see, the retaining wall stones that we ordered on Saturday were delivered today...all 6 pallets of them. So, we spent the day moving the stones from the street to our backyard. Fun, huh?

When my wife took these pictures, we had already moved the stones from two of the pallets, but this will give some idea what of we faced. We ordered two types of stones: 27 lbs for the wall and 63 lbs for the stairs I plan to install. There were 5 pallets of the lighter stones at 114 per pallet, for a grand total of 570 stones or 15,390 lbs (7.7 tons). The last pallet contained 20 stones or 1260 lbs. Grand total of lbs moved is: drumroll, please...16,650 (8.3 tons). Yes, I am having fun with my calculator again.

Anyway, we completed this monumental task in only 5 hours and all that remains is to order the gravel and the soil. Hopefully, I should be able to install the attic fan tomorrow and jump back into the berm project by this weekend.


Here are the kids in their new home, just waiting to be installed...








First in series... Planning Your Tiered Retaining Wall

Next in series... Building the Retaining Wall Foundation

Trenching the Tiers

As of this writing, I am officially done with trenching for the bottom tier. It took me about 5 ½ hours to dig the 40 feet. The final ten feet of the trench was riddled with rocks, roots, asphalt (believe it or not) and hard-pan; it took roughly 2 hours to complete that section. To ensure nothing is wasted and in order to save money, the dirt I removed from the trenches will become the fill dirt for the tier.

For your viewing pleasure, I've included a picture from before I started trenching...


Now that I'm finished, I still have some clean-up to do; I still need to remove the sod that I left drying on the berm and I need to find a place to put all the wonderful rocks I dug out. Another chore that I need to accomplish, is to cap the three sprinklers that run the length of the berm. I was going to move them forward, but since I just removed the grass that those sprinklers watered, there does not seem to be much reason to move them now. Here is where I ran into a little problem: Can you guess where one of the sprinklers is??

You got it, stupid here buried the thing in the huge pile of dirt. So, I have gone back to my previous post and amended my step-by-step instructions to state that the FIRST thing you should do is cap or move the sprinklers that are affected by your project. In case you are wondering why I would even bother mentioning this, it's so that if you ever do a project like this, you can learn from my stupid mistakes.


First in series... Planning Your Tiered Retaining Wall

Next in series... The Arrival of the Stones

Thank You to My Advertisers: 6/29-7/5

As of November 2009, I will no longer be with Entrecard, so in order to free-up valuable file space, I have removed the images and contents from this page. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. However, I invite you to stop by my main page and see if there is anything of interest to you...

Everyday Living

Friday Photos: 7/3

I hope you all have a safe and fun Holiday weekend...




Swimming on the wrong side of Bikini Bottom...

courtesy of... wulffmorgenthaler.com



I couldn't resist...

courtesy of... squidnews.com




courtesy of... icanhascheezburger.com

My Top Droppers for June 2009

As of November 2009, I will no longer be with Entrecard, so in order to free-up valuable file space, I have removed the images and contents from this page. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. However, I invite you to stop by my main page and see if there is anything of interest to you...

Everyday Living